Published: Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 11:40 AM.

Coach Mike Lynch’s team has dropped three of its last five games and enters the 2 p.m. tournament game with a 9-9, 8-3 record.

Freshmen Cassidy Coutinho (seven goals) and Meghan Philip (five goals) have been the Abbey’s leading scorers this season, with senior Alana Ryczek (two goals, five assists) leading the team in assists.

History is clearly on the Lady Crusaders’ side entering Monday’s game, as they have lost only one quarterfinal tournament game (13-1-1 all-time record) and have never lost any game to Converse (9-0 record).

This season’s tie for second place means the Abbey has finished first, second or third in the league regular season standings for the past 17 years.

Should the second-seeded Lady Crusaders win Monday, they would host a Thursday semifinal game. The championship game on Saturday will be played at the highest remaining seed; Lees-McRae (11-5-1, 10-1) enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed.

Coach Mike Lynch’s team has dropped three of its last five games and enters the 2 p.m. tournament game with a 9-9, 8-3 record.

Freshmen Cassidy Coutinho (seven goals) and Meghan Philip (five goals) have been the Abbey’s leading scorers this season, with senior Alana Ryczek (two goals, five assists) leading the team in assists.

History is clearly on the Lady Crusaders’ side entering Monday’s game, as they have lost only one quarterfinal tournament game (13-1-1 all-time record) and have never lost any game to Converse (9-0 record).

This season’s tie for second place means the Abbey has finished first, second or third in the league regular season standings for the past 17 years.

Should the second-seeded Lady Crusaders win Monday, they would host a Thursday semifinal game. The championship game on Saturday will be played at the highest remaining seed; Lees-McRae (11-5-1, 10-1) enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed.

Men’s soccer

After missing its first conference tournament in its 24-year history in the league, the Crusaders (6-9, 4-6) are back as the seventh-seeded team for a 2 p.m. Tuesday quarterfinal game at Limestone.

Coach John Keating’s team has lost its last six games of the season, but can look to history to offer some positives for the league quarterfinal tournament game.

Not only is the Abbey 30-14-3 all-time in tournament play (with five titles), but it has tournament success against Tuesday’s opponent. In fact, while the Crusaders have lost six straight regular season meetings to Limestone – cutting the all-time series lead to 17-6-2 – the Abbey is 2-0-1 against the Saints in tournament games.

Junior Conor Wells (five goals, one assist) and seniors Jose Penaloza (four goals, two assists) and Ross Smith (two goals, three assists) have led the Crusaders so far this season.

Volleyball

It’s been a record-setting season for coach Mary DeJute’s Lady Crusaders – and they have a chance to set even more records entering the final week of the regular season.

The Abbey (21-4, 12-2) enters the week atop the East Division of Conference Carolinas – a half-game ahead of Queens (11-2) – and is only a half-game behind West Division leader Erskine (13-2).

Since the Lady Crusaders play at Coker (6-8) on Wednesday and at Erskine to close the regular season on Saturday, they control their own destiny finish with at least a share of the league title.

The Abbey’s previous high finish in the league was tied for third in 2010.

Basketball

Stephen Miss’ Crusaders and Susan Yow’s Lady Crusaders get a chance to see how their teams perform this week in exhibitions before officially getting their seasons underway in the next two weeks.

The Crusaders play exhibitions against NCAA Division I opposition on Thursday (at Davidson, 7 p.m.) and on Saturday (at N.C. State, approximately 4:45 p.m.).

The Abbey opens its men’s schedule with a tournament at Mayaguez, P.R., Nov. 9-11.

The Lady Crusaders play their NCAA Division I exhibition at Elon on Sunday at 2 p.m. before opening their regular season with a Nov. 17 Conference Carolinas home game against Erskine.

Women in Sports Day

The Abbey is celebrating a “Women in Sports Day” on Nov. 10.

Girls and families will be allowed to watch open practices as well as participate in a free softball clinic and enjoy lunch.

The event begins with a 9-10:30 a.m. women’s basketball practice and a 10-noon women’s lacrosse practice. The free softball clinic, which will be led by new Lady Crusaders’ coach Brooke LeSage, runs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Later, from 1-2 p.m., free time will be allowed to view the campus as well as a $8 per person lunchtime buffet at the school cafeteria.

The day will be capped by the 2 p.m. Conference Carolinas women’s volleyball tournament quarterfinal match against an undetermined opponent.

To reserve your spot for the clinic and/or lunch, contact Brian Rushing at 704-461-6235 or brianrushing@bac.edu.